This month, I am recognizing patterns in my life that I am officially committed to changing. Here's what I have learned: If I don't take time to slow down my days, I become exhausted mentally and physically. If I don't make solitude a priority, my exhaustion will rub off on me spiritually as well. On the other hand, If I have too much "down time", I return to my habits of laziness and become completely unmotivated. I'm sure you can relate.
Do you ever have one of those days where you are reminded of how blessed you are... and you just shake your head and think, "duh!"? This will come off extremely cheesy, but usually everyday I wake up with joy that I am now living in Virginia and that God has led me to this school. He has blessed me with such an amazing and godly close-knit group of friends and awesome roommates. I walk around campus glowing that I'm finally here.
Well, we had Fall Break two weeks ago. Since everyone besides my friend Thiago went off somewhere... basically we were the only people left in Lynchburg for 4 days. Thiago (TT as I prefer to call him) and I hung out one of those days, but the rest of the break was basically me laying around my apartment, watching Netflix, completing the entire series of "Friends", eating cookie dough straight out of the tub, waxing my eyebrows... you know, all of that glamorous stuff. Well when you get used to laziness, it's definitely hard to get back into the flow of things. ESPECIALLY, when you're slowed down with a cold the first day back from break.
So Monday last week began in a way that literally none of my Mondays have begun in awhile. "UGHHHH" I thought at 7am. I pushed myself through my 8:50am Old Testament class as my nose was running. Got through the day, and when it was over, plopped back on my bed with the urgency to watch Friends episodes. Tuesday was very similar... except I had a test bright and early at 7:40am. So I decided to complete that, and skip the rest of my classes and pass out on my bed for 4 hours. I then proceeded to watch more Friends and eat soup. Now hold up, I completely recognize that when you're sick, rest is highly recommended (And so is lots of soup and water). However, being slowed down physically AND mentally are kind of mood-killing combinations. Negative, negative, negative.
So all last week I had a cold, had no motivation to do any school work, and was tired of responsibilities. Can I just be a kid again? Last Wednesday, I had some sort of "middle of the week inspiration". I instantly felt like my day was different as I was in convocation (our version of chapel). Something just clicked in my head that made me remember where I was in Indiana nearly two months ago and reminded me to be thankful. The guest speaker was Pete Wilson, Jon Acuff's pastor in Nashville. He didn't even talk about anything that was running through my head. He talked about words. Not about my problems of being unmotivated or negative, but words.
"Hurt people hurt people, and free people free people"
"Your words have the ability to heal people, and everyone needs healing"
"Ask yourself two questions: Who has God placed in your life? And what do they need to hear you say?"
Pete Wilson's sermon was extremely refreshing and was a much needed "pick-me-up" last week. I looked at people around me, and I was reminded that God wants to use me to encourage them with my words.
So last week was slow, and this week has been pretty fast pace starting last weekend. Even this week, it's been tempting to procrastinate my work like last; however, I don't have much time to push things aside. Because of my lack of time management, I felt like I was going to snap yesterday. However, God blessed me with an apartment to myself and some quiet time. Because of that time of solitude, today I am energized and positive. It may have been hard to wake up at 6am, but the difference between yesterday and today is that I now have opened my heart to accept God's joy.
In conclusion, the lesson I have learned: Be careful, too much time on your hands will develop habits of laziness and not enough time on your hands will give you distractions.
BUSY? I encourage you, MAKE TIME to enjoy some solitude a few times a week if you live a fast paced lifestyle. Make it a priority to quiet your mind and refresh your soul. You don't want distractions to burn you out and take God's place in your heart. A busy lifestyle isn't going to leave you feeling accomplished without God at the center of the busyness.
"When will you stop running? When will you stop panting after other gods?
But you say, ‘Save your breath. I’m in love with these foreign gods,
and I can’t stop loving them now!’" Jeremiah 2:25
UNMOTIVATED? Now, if you have too much time on your hands, fill your mind with things of truth and remind yourself of what inspires you. Pete Wilson happened to speak about something that I personally love to do: encourage other people. Maybe that's not something that naturally lifts your spirits, but what does? What is something that makes your soul come alive? What reminds you of your personal goals and your purpose?
"So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom".
Psalm 90:12
When I was in a state of laziness last week, and as I have been extra busy this week, I have learned that this verse is true for both lifestyles:
"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil.
He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour."
1 Peter 5:8
